Asbestos Audit - August 2024

Welcome to the August 2024 edition of our e-newsletter. This month’s edition is packed full of insights from the Asbestos Management and Remediation?section of the Environmental Services Industry.

Read on to learn more.

HSE Releases Annual Workplace Fatality and Mesothelioma Statistics for 2023/24

In July, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) published its annual statistics on workplace fatalities and mesothelioma deaths for the 2023/24 period.

According to the report, 138 workers in Great Britain tragically lost their lives in workplace accidents between April 2023 and March 2024.

The HSE also reported that 2,257 people died from mesothelioma in 2022. This marks a slight decrease from the 2,290 deaths recorded in 2021 and is significantly lower than the average of 2,529 deaths per year observed between 2012 and 2020.

Despite the decline, asbestos remains a serious health hazard, especially in older homes and buildings where it can become dangerous if disturbed.

Mother's warning over asbestos-related cancer

Helen Bone, a 42-year-old former nurse from Marton-in-Cleveland, Middlesbrough, is advocating for increased awareness of asbestos-related dangers.

Having been diagnosed in 2021 with mesothelioma, an incurable cancer linked to asbestos exposure, Bone emphasizes that this disease is no longer confined to traditional high-risk groups like construction workers but affects a broad range of professions, including teachers and healthcare workers. Symptoms, which may take 20 to 50 years to appear, include fatigue, chest pain, and persistent coughing.

Bone, who discovered her illness following persistent chest pain after recovering from Covid, highlights the need for proactive measures in managing asbestos in public buildings to prevent further tragedies.

She urges for immediate action to prevent this issue from becoming a national crisis

What does asbestos look like or how to identify it is a question we get every day at Asbestos Audit. With over 10,000 different asbestos product work wide its easy to see why asbestos is hard to identify.

The only way to identify if a material is asbestos containing is to sample the material in an Asbestos Laboratory. You can see below a wide range of asbestos products and how they are used within buildings. This is a rough guide only and does not include all materials. To read more about these products please click on the images below.

What Does Asbestos Insulation Look Like?

Also known as: Insulation, Lagging, Pipe Lagging, and Asbestos Thermal Insulation, Loose Fill Asbestos or Spray Coating.

Asbestos Type: Chrysotile (White), Amosite (Brown), Crocidolite (Blue) Asbestos

Friability Risk: High

Common Uses: Lagging for pipe work, fire protection, thermal insulation for plant and machinery.

What Does Asbestos Insulating Board Look Like?

Also known as: AIB, Asbestolux, Asbestos Board

Asbestos Type: Amosite (Brown), Chrysotile (White) Asbestos

Friability Risk: High

Common Uses: Fire Proof Panels, Boxings, Ceiling Tiles, Wall Panels, Header Panels, Door Panels, Soffits and Fascia’s

Asbestos Audit provides UKAS accredited asbestos Surveys, Testing and Sampling to ISO 17020 and UKAS 17025. If you have any of these materials in your property you may require an asbestos survey or sampling. If you need help identifying asbestos please call 08081753663.

If you want a professional opinion on your suspect asbestos forward us a photo of the material to [email protected]

How can Asbestos Audit help?

The Asbestos Audit management team can talk you through every step of the survey process ensuring you are compliant with the current Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. We offer practical impartial asbestos and safety advice to clients large and small.

The Asbestos Audit team works in partnership with building owners, duty holders, and site managers for commercial, industrial, and domestic buildings to ensure compliance and safety at all times.

We cover the whole of the UK and further afield where required.

Our asbestos survey costs include all samples, site inspection by trained surveyors, full reports to HSG-264, and any associated recommendations and consultancy. All works are fully quoted, and costs are confirmed before we come to the site.

Our teams can assist with any of the following asbestos-related works -

Asbestos Surveys near me

Asbestos Removal near me

Asbestos Sampling near me

Asbestos in Soils

Re-inspection and maintenance near me

If you would like further information on our range of surveys and consultancy. Please contact your local office or click below to get in touch

If you're interested in learning more about Asbestos check out our blog posts here or if you're working somewhere where asbestos exposure might be a concern, contact us for emergency response.